British writer David Hirst warned Israel against becoming an apartheid state that adopts fascist ideology and converges with the European fascist right in order to find a final solution to its conflict with the Palestinians.
He said that if Israel did so, it would face an existential moment sooner than many think.
In an article on the British Middle East Eye website, Hirst spoke about the phenomenon of rapprochement between Israel and the European extreme right, despite the excessive hostility between the two parties during World War II and until recently.
The writer recounted details of the aforementioned rapprochement, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statements in Paris, in which he described the war in Gaza, addressing the Europeans: “Our victory is your victory! It is the victory of Judeo-Christian civilization over barbarism. It is France’s victory! If we win here, you win there.” “.
Hirst spoke about what he called the Israelis’ gloating over the success of the far right in the recent European parliamentary elections, as they considered it a response to Spain, Ireland, Norway, and Slovenia’s recognition of the Palestinian state.
Hitler became a role model
The writer pointed out that Adolf Hitler has become a role model for Israel these days. Moshe Feiglin, a former member of the Knesset from the Likud Party, cited it when he said last week on television, “As Hitler said, I cannot live if one Jew remains alive; we cannot live here if one Nazi Islamist remains in Gaza,” as he described it. .
The writer considered that this is fascism, clearly and simply. It has become increasingly common currency in the Israeli mainstream media. All the old taboos have disappeared, which is why European fascists are so easily accepted as the soul mates of Israeli fascists.
Hirst pointed to the strengthening of relations between Israel and Serbia, the latter’s increase in arms exports to Israel during its aggression against Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s expression of gratitude to the Serbian president.
Common interest
He said that this rapprochement is not a coincidence, but rather based on a common interest for both parties. Israel has a clear intention to force the largest possible number of Palestinians to leave the lands it occupies, and right-wing extremists in Europe want to expel the largest possible number of Muslims from the Old Continent.
He added that the new generation of European politicians are clear about what they think; They believe that “Western civilization” is threatened by Islam, that “the indigenous people of Europe” are threatened by immigrants, they support the Clash of Civilizations theory and the Great Replacement Theory, and they strongly support Israel in their statements, if not in their actions.
The writer explained that the alliance with European political parties that distort the image of Muslims, in the same way that extreme right-wing groups fuel hatred of Jews, has become more than just flirtation; It has quickly solidified into a much broader alliance between Israel and the European far right, in deeds as well as words.
The greatest threat to Israel
Hirst said that today there is no greater threat to Israel than the words and actions of its leaders, and greater than the European fascists who find common cause with Israel and return to power in Europe again.
He added that what he is saying is not related to history; Rather, it relates to Israel today. Israel does not care about the millions of Jews who were victims of fascism in Europe, nor does it matter that the real anti-Semites are their allies today; All that matters is that they found common cause against a common enemy. As for the European fascist far right; Israel has become a role model for how to deal with the rebellious Muslim minority.
The writer explained that with regard to Israel; There are obvious risks in pursuing this path, because it is not in a land where Muslims are a minority, but Jews are a minority even in Israel itself, moreover; The “Jewish state” is not on the margins of the Islamic world, but rather lies directly in its center.
Also, what is happening is not a repeat of what happened in 1948, at least not for the Palestinians. If Israel attempts major ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, Jordan will revolt and become the base of an active resistance movement along Israel’s longest land border, and Israel will never have peaceful borders again.